We left Medellin at 5pm and arrived in Cartagena ready for dinner. I’d say that the hotel was the most expensive compared to Bogotá, Salento and Medellin. Furthermore, the only window opened onto the corridor. However, the location was very convenient, right in the heart of the old town. We had dinner at a very nice restaurant right next to the hotel called ‘Buena Vida’. The cooking and atmosphere were very interesting, but it was a bit costly for Colombia. However, if you want to dine well and indulge yourself, I highly recommend it.
The next day we really understood the difference between the old city and the rest of Cartagena, which was surrounded by skyscrapers. The tallest of these was a hotel, 202 meters tall, less than a quarter of the Burj Khalifa in Dubai. However, although not very high, were numerous and created the idea of a small Manhattan. Unfortunately, in the 48 hours we had available, we didn’t get to see the modern part of the city.
The first day in Cartagena was reserved for the ‘Islas del Rosario’. Since the coast around the city didn’t have any beach, you had to take a boat and go to the Colombian peninsula or islands of the Caribbean. We booked a package to PA’UE Beach Lounge, which included a round trip to the island and lunch. The islands are located at the end of the ‘Barú’ peninsula. The nearest beaches were on this peninsula, with long white sandy shores, such as ‘Playa Blanca‘. We left around 8 o’clock from the port in Cartagena and after 45 minutes by speedboat we arrived. I ordered breakfast and they only served ‘Empanadas’ filled with fish and other tasty ingredients. The lunch menu was ‘Mojarra Frita’, consisting of a Mojarra fish, Arepas, fried plantains and with coconut rice in addition. Everything was very delicious, including the cocktails.
We enjoyed the beach, very similar to Ksamil, but still very quiet. We took a walk around the small jungle surrounding the resort and decided to get a massage which lasted 30 minutes and cost $50. Keep in mind that you can pay by card everywhere, but in the case of the massage it would be good to have cash with you. If you wanted to explore further there was the option of taking a boat ride around the islands, however I didn’t. After the beach, we tried some stand-up paddles and then it was time to head back.
Around 3 pm we started our way back to the city for about an hour. This time we did not sail in the open sea, but tried to stay as close as possible to the shores of ‘Barú’. The sea had risen and the speedboat was moving slowly. This made it impossible to enjoy the sea during the afternoon or sunset. After settling down at the hotel, we spent the evening in the liveliest neighborhood of Cartagena, Getsemani. This is a neighborhood in the old city that preserves the Colombian spirit. Its alleys are filled with art exhibitions and performances, traditional and modern. Every turn of Getsemani grabs you and makes you a part of itself. I really enjoyed the walk that evening. We had dinner at the Terraza Municipal, a small square by the sea, surrounded by food trucks offering everything from pizza to sushi. Perfect to satisfy everyone’s taste under the seaside atmosphere. This was the end of our second evening in Cartagena.
The last day was reserved to explore the old town. As in Bogotá, I had breakfast and a coffee at Juan Valdez before starting the walk towards the city walls. From there you could see the sea, but the panorama was not impressive. Next to the walls was the gallery ‘Las Bóvedas de Santa Clara‘, full of souvenir shops and Colombian atmosphere. A short trip back in time.
Afterwards I headed to the fort San Felipe de Barajas. The route was a bit long to walk under the scorching tropical sun. The entry fee was about $7. The fortress was built on a small hill by the sea, in the 17th century. It is famous for its complex system of underground tunnels. It was fun to wander through the tunnels, not knowing in which wing you’d appear. Moreover, standing on top of the hill, the fort offered a very beautiful view, compared to the one at the city wall. Outside of the fort was the Old Boots monument, in memory of the poet Luis Carlos Lopez.
The next destination was the Emerald Museum. It was very interesting and admission was free. It contained many curiosities about the Colombian emerald, however it was very small. On its way out was the showroom of a store, where you could buy jewelry with emerald gems. We went back to Getsemani, to see it during the day and then headed for dinner. We enjoyed the sunset by at “El Baluarte San Francisco Javier“. And this is how the 48 hours in Cartagena ended. At 10 o’clock in the evening, we took the bus to Santa Marta, our first stop to San Gill.
